Thanks, gardengal48.

I was going to return it to the box store, but got busy. We are in Zone 5a New England and the stores here should not have offered it with their perennials, but I also should have not gotten it or planted it. I'll bring it inside.

Cool will be good - perhaps in fact necessary - but dark won't work at all. The ideal might be a cool to cold, bright, not too humid greenhouse. Or equivalent environment. What it is adapted to is hot dry summers and warm, more or less rainy winters.

Yes, here lavenders of this type bloom for months - basically spring to fall. Maybe something about your eastern summer or other circumstances encountered by the individual specimen you bought shut it down.

Thank you, Embothrium.

In the garden (relatively sandy loam, pH ~ 6.5, part sun) I didn't fertilize it as I'm under the impression that "Mediterrean" plants like this would prefer lean soil, on the dry side and on the alkaline side. I'm surrounded by woods and on a slight NW slope in Central MA, USA.

This plant might want limy soil and a lot more sunlight. Maybe next rear I will put it into a wide pot, in as much sun as I have, and perhaps give it a less acid soil.

As for winter in house or in cellar storage, I was thinking that if I keep it cold and _dormant_, it would be too shut down to care about wanting light. I do that with some geraniums (annuals) and dahlias. The cellar gets some light from narrow cellar windows, but it's not the sort of light plants find hospitable (except in spring, when the dahlias staeprt sending up shoots).

This is an evergreen shrub that will retain leaves, need good light all winter. There's an independent garden center in my part of USDA 8 that presents lavenders and other Mediterranean woody herbs in a minimally heated, bright greenhouse. Even there the plants often look like the situation is too warm and shady, or otherwise too "indoors" for them.

Thanks again. I could put it in cellar dim sunlight, or bring it to sewing - library room (~ 60 to 67 deg F with afternoon sun. My Christmas cactus likes this. Think this would be better? Or, heck, I would enjoy Porto Fino for the winter.

Um, I keep some of my alpines and tiny primulas dry over winter by placing a pane of glass, balanced on brick or timber, over the plant. This allows for complete ventilation but protects plants from rain...as winter wet is always worse than winter cold. Of course, this plant is not an alpine but nonetheless, the glass method has proved a handy method of protection without lifting and storing plants in the greenhouse.

I definitely wouldn't bring any lavender inside, no matter how much light is available - a whiff of central heating and it is game over.

Okay. We don't have true central heat, but heat with a wood stove. That room tend to run cold. No water pipes. No central heat. Just wood, wall, books, and fabric. I could also try the colder cellar with some weak light from a cellar window with translucent film over it.

My ancesters were all English and came to 'America' in the 1600's (Puritans -Quaker). I grew up on the New England coast (cool) and always hoped to visit England. For now I get by watching Masterpiece Theatre pieces. I swear, I watch some and the repeats just to drink in the landscape, geology and foliage. Lucky you, Campanula.

I grew up where people had interesting accents. When I went away to college, my accent was pointed out to me time and again, so I worked to eliminate it (I was living away in urban areas then, so easy enough to do for one one tuned in to pronunciation. I usually have to put the TV subtitles on with some of the U.K. programs, even though if I were to visit for a few weeks, I'd be speaking with the same accent. When watching these programs, I find myself repeating the words and accent a few times. I just love that! I tell my friends that I wasn't meant to be carried over here. I don't like hot weather. Love the smell of grass, shore, woods, moss, sheep, horses and cows. I love knitting with good wool yarn, but it's always too hot to enjoy sweaters here. If Poppleton and Emu still make that 100% wool, dark blue black 5-ply navy Guernsey yarn, I might order some to make a simple jumper. Pass me a scone and pour me a cup of tea.

Embothrium, I can try a window area in the cellar, otherwise that lavender will have to get its own rental unit in a greenhouse.

Thanks both of you for your help.

In your climate with no suitable brightly lit but quite cool space to store over winter, I'd just treat it like an annual.

Floral, I'm interested in your glass recommendation. Is it possible to share a picture of how you set it up, or a more detailed description? I'm wondering if I could use my cold frame with glass windows for a top for the same purpose. I haven't used it at all yet because I don't understand how to do so without having to adjust the windows constantly to avoid frying whatever I put in there. It's also only a foot high when the glass is down..

That's Campanula's recommendation, although I'd endorse it. Your cold frame lid would be perfect. In fact just put the lavender in the cold frame with the lid propped slightly open.

Thank you and sorry for confusing you! I guess the solution to the height problem is to dig a hole to place the pot into.. just occurred to me.

Your cold frame lid would be perfect. In fact just put the lavender in the cold frame with the lid propped slightly open.

==>> not sure about this in zone 5 .... does OP ground freeze???

in my area.. cold frames add a few weeks in spring.. they are not really used to overwinter zone INappropriate plants ....

i doubt .. i am speculating.. that this plant can handle ground freeze ....

humidity in a wood heated house might also be a problem ...

ken

For my Zn 5a New England situation, a cold frame wouldn't protect this plant. Even parsley(mulched or not) freezes in January and February. I have nothing to lose but a bit of trouble by attempting to put the plant in a pot and store in the cellar as I do dahlias and some geraniums. It will probably turn a moldy mess and die. I do know of a gardener/farmer with a greenhouse, I'll ask if that person wants it. Our winters can vary greatly. Thanks, everyone.

Clearly I don't know how cold your winters are. But the function of the cold frame glass would be to keep the plants dry, not necessarily warm.

Oh! Thanks for the clarification.